Exploring the Role of Scientists in Communicating Natural Disasters and Uncertainty

People have relied on scientists for answers to some pretty big questions, and natural disasters are no exception. But when people don't like those answers, how are scientists supposed to communicate with the public? In this episode, seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones discusses the disconnect between disasters, psychology, and science communication, and helps us understand how to handle inconvenient truths in a healthy way.

Additional resources from Dr. Lucy Jones:

• "The Big Ones: How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us (and What We Can Do About Them)"
• Dr. Lucy Jones' website
• Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society
• The Ring of Fire and other earthquake myths

Other resources discussed:

• Number of fatalities caused by natural disasters in the United States from 1900 to 2016, by disaster type
• Tremors and treatments: how developing nations can mitigate the destruction of earthquakes
• How do we know what other planets (and stars, galaxies, etc.) are made of? (Intermediate)

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Full episode transcript here: https://curiosity-daily-4e53644e.simplecast.com/episodes/natural-disasters-have-transformed-how-scientists-communicate

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